Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-12-30

But the next marriage st which the lat
ter officiated she hoped would be her
own.
Her own!
How little could she then foresee
when, where and how she was to figure
as bride.
The floral wealth of Sir Brisco's con-
servstories had been lavished on the
decoration of the old village church, as
his pineries and wineries had made the
elegance and luxury of the bridal break
! last.
Dick Talbot-merriage were of small
| Importance to him, cave in so far as q
| huge piece of the cake was concerned
had gone on a ramble in the woods; and
! his brother Reginald WAS alone-slbne
| with all his own sad thoughts after q
sleepless and weary night, for being in
capable OF all exercise, repose came to
him fitfully and in snatches; and on this
/ morning in one of these, he had dreamt
Of Amy Brendon.
he heard her voice talking TO him kind
~ and pitifullY, though he knew net the
words she used.
He touched her thick dark hair with
his thin, wasted fingers, and played with
the piquante fringe that Curled nearly to
her bright and laughing eyes; and ere her
face began to fade away, he felt-Yes, &C
tuslly seemed to feel-the touch of her
lips, in farewell kiss, softly and glow
ingly upon his own; snd he awoke with
start and hsl f-stifled cry, to find it
was her wedding morning.
Aud now, with the memory of that
vivid and tantslizing dream keenly in his
mind, he sat near the open window,
needless OF the frosty air, reclining on his
couch in his usual helplessness, and
listening for the passing sounds that
came from the distant village.
He reviewed his past life since he had
known her, especially since he had come
home, helpless cripple from the coast of
Egypt, doomed to beggary by the very
government for which he had lost health
and hope. He thought over the Stime
when he had ejoiced in her society and
in the light Of her beauty and her grave
and winning manner shed around him,
till the blow struck his heart, when Mus
grave came and he knew that she was
eDgaged-wss to be married.
How he felt none knew save himself.
Better, he thought, to have been struck
blind-yes, stone dead. lie would have
avoided her, after that news came
avoided her society and escaped the
world; but he was helpless as child.
All the love of his heart had gone forth
to her, allured by her winning ways, her
sisterly bearing to him-for Amy never
meant or imagined it could be more. It
WAS q perfect love, as he neither hoped
nor locked for any return. Her presence
to him had been as sunshine cast about the
gloom Of his existence; and in his silent
worship he would cheerfully have laid
down his life for Amy, if by doing SO he
could have served her.
His emotions were expressed in the
words of Shelley's serenede, as he had
often heard her sing it:
rise from dreams Of thee,
In the first sweet sleep of night,
When the winds are breathing low,
And the stars are shining brigh,;
] rise from dreams of thee,
And spirit in my feet
Has led me-whO Knows how
To thy wfndow.chamber, sweet.
Oh lift me from the grass
die-I faint-I fall
Let thy love in Kisses rain
On my lips and eye,tde pale.
NV cheek Is cola and white. alas,
My heart beats loud and fast;
Oh press It close to thine again,
Where 1t win break ct last.
The blow he so lorg expected had |
fallen at last, and the girl he could only |
love in secret was lost to him more than
ever.
In his dumb despair he now realized to
the full how great and how futile that
love had been. Those two were together
now; ere long they would pass side by
side from the altar where her father had
given her away; and ere long thu new
mada hride0room would be WOrshiping (.